Although not well understood, a complex relationship is known to exist between blood sugar, hormonal and nutrient status, and a person's mood. Blood sugar is modulated primarily by pancreatic and adrenal hormones. These hormones include: insulin, glucagon, epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisone, and the various sex steroids (i.e., estrogen, progesterone, testosterone). Insulin and glucagon regulate blood sugar by either increasing glycogen or allowing the presence of free glucose for tissue consumption. It is known that certain physiologically defined disease states (e.g., diabetes mellitus (sustained hyperglycemia) and reactive or insulinoma induced hypoglycemia) are associated with specific and characteristic alterations in mood. Premenstrual syndrome and menstruation are also associated with alterations in blood sugar regulating capacity, causing, in some cases, pathological anxiety and anger among other emotions. It is likewise known that males or females taking excessive amounts of anabolic steroids are prone to irrational outbursts of aggression and rage.
Mood, defined as the predominant emotion of a given person at a given time, can be affected exogenously and endogenously. Exogenous factors include the person's particular life circumstances (e.g., incarceration may lead to the feeling of depression). In general, there is a cause and effect relationship between exogenous factors and mood. Endogenous factors that affect mood include hormonal factors, presence or absence of pain, nutrient status (including vitamins, minerals, and calories), and levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases that are respired, as well as the relative atmospheric pressure.
Numerous medications currently exist that are used to regulate mood. These mood regulators include narcotics, stimulants, alcohol, major and minor tranquilizers, and antidepressants. Each of these medications have significant and undesirable side effects. Moreover, these medications, while ameliorating the symptoms of mood disturbance, do not treat the underlying cause. In a high percentage of cases, the cause of mood disturbances are believed to result from fluctuations in cerebral blood sugar.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a blood sugar regulating composition that will affect mood without the attendant side effects associated with psychoactive substances currently used for this purpose. This invention fulfills these needs, and provides other related advantages.